Manifest had an amazing 2021 on Netflix (and here’s how it happened)

In 2021, there were handfuls of new and breakthrough shows that everybody talked about, especially those on Netflix. You couldn’t make it through a day on social media without hearing about Lucifer or Squid Game. But another show that had a breakout moment was Manifest.

The fan-favorite NBC supernatural drama series was canceled after three seasons on the network, resulting in an inspired online fan campaign to save the series. Luckily for the fandom, Manifest started streaming on Netflix at the same time as its cancellation, and its popularity skyrocketed.

We’re not talking about a casual boost in popularity, like it graced the top 10 and gained a cult following. We’re talking hitting the peak of the top 10 for an impressive streak and garnering mammoth streaming numbers in the billions — yes, with a “b.”

To cap off what would be an already incredible comeback story for the series, lots of talks and decision walk-backs later resulted in Netflix officially saving Manifest for a fourth and final season of 20 episodes. Not too bad for a show that was canceled a couple months before.

Manifest is a top Netflix show of 2021

What should we attribute Manifest’s unbelievable 2021 to? Is it the fans who rallied behind the series in the wake of its cancellation? Is it the numbers that truly speak for themselves? Or is it the one thing that had always been there since day one: the show itself?

Unlike other shows that we won’t mention, nobody was hate-watching Manifest and sending it up to the summit of the top 10. Hate-watching doesn’t have that kind of endurance; there’s an inevitable drop off, even for popular hits like Netflix’s own Sex/Life. (Okay, we mentioned one.)

People were interested and emotionally invested in the the winding story the series tells, care of creator Jeff Rake and the entire cast and crew. And once you enter the world of Manifest, you’re met with a welcoming community of people who are equally as hooked on the Flight 828 mystery.

For a series to attract such an unprecedented momentum after getting the axe is otherwise unheard of, especially in the dog-eat-dog streaming era. Fewer shows are being saved by other networks or streamers, but the demand for more Manifest was far too loud for anyone to ignore, specifically not the service that helped give it renewed life.

The power of fandom can’t be denied, but it’s not just online fan campaigns that bring a show back from the dead. Of course, making noise on the internet works wonders, but there’s only so much a tweet can do if the show in question isn’t connecting with a broader audience.

The stars aligned at the right moment for Manifest in a perfect storm of fandom and success, and the fans who worked to keep #SaveManifest trending should be super proud of themselves. Perhaps it’s what pushed the show over the edge into the pop cultural consciousness.

Fortunately, that perfect storm will continue to rage on when Manifest season 4 premieres in parts on Netflix in 2022. The dominance the show displayed in 2021 with its first three seasons will surely pale in comparison to the final chapter’s debut on the streamer next year.

Manifest’s flight path from canceled to saved was a turbulent one, filled with as many twists and turns as the Flight 828 saga in the series. But the important thing is, like the passengers who returned, the show was given a second chance to end on its own terms, and that’s all the hope fans could have asked for.

Watch Manifest only on Netflix.

Fandoms of the Year

Fandoms of the Year Logo

Did your fandom make the list?

See the 2021 list